在复合句中充当同位语的名词性从句称为同位语从句。同位语从句是名词性从句(主语从句、表语从句、宾语从句、同位语从句)中的主要从句之一,也是中学英语学习中的重点语法知识点之一。在使用同位语从句时,应注意以下五个方面:
一、同位语从句在句中的位置
1. 一般情况下同位语从句跟在某些名词(如news, idea, fact, promise, hope, message等)的后面,用以说明该名词所表达的具体内容。例如:
The news that our women volleyball team had won the championship encouraged us all greatly. 我们女排赢得冠军的消息大大地鼓舞了我们所有人。
I've come from Mr Wang with a message that he won't be able to see you this afternoon. 我从王先生那边得知一个消息,他说他今天下午不能来看你了。
2. 有时同位语从句可以不紧跟在它所说明的名词后,而被别的词语隔开,在语法上叫做分隔式同位语从句。例如:
The thought came to her that maybe she had left the door open when she left home. 她突然想起可能在她离开家时没把门关上。
The story goes that he failed in the College Entrance Examinations1 again. 据说他高考又落榜了。
二、同位语从句前名词的数
同位语从句前的名词通常用单数形式,并且往往带有限定词(word除外)加以修饰。例如:
Where did you get the idea that I could not come? 你在哪儿听说我不能来?
Give me your promise that you will come to our party this evening. 答应我,你今天晚上要来参加我们的晚会。
Word came that China launched2 its first manned spaceship on Oct 15, 2003. 消息传来,中国于2003年10月15日首次成功发射了载人飞船。
三、同位语从句连接词的选用
在英语中,引导同位语从句的词通常有连词(that, who, whether),连接副词(how, when, where)等。例如:
They were all very much worried over the fact that you were sick. 对你生病这件事,他们都很焦虑。
The question who should do the work requires consideration3. 谁该做这项工作,这个问题需要考虑。
We haven't yet settled4 the question where we are going to spend our summer vacation. 我们还没有决定到什么地方去度暑假。
注:在名词doubt“怀疑”后的同位语从句用whether连接;在no doubt“不怀疑”之后的同位语从句用that连接。例如:
We have some doubt whether they can complete the task on time. 我们怀疑他们是否能准时完成任务。
There is no doubt that Zhang Wei will keep his promise. 我们相信张卫会守信的。
同位语从句:that
有些名词的后面可以接that引导的同位语从句:
We came to the decision that we must act at once. 我们做出决定:我们必须立即行动。
He made a proposal5 that the meeting be postpone6. 他提议会议延期。
There was little hope that he would survive. 他幸存的希望很小。
以下名词常用于以上句型:
advice, announcement, argument, belief, claim, conclusion, decision, evidence, explanation, fact, feeling, hope, idea, impression, information, knowledge, message, news, opinion, order, probability7, promise, proposal, remark, reply, report, saying, statement8, suggestion, thought, treat, warning, wish, word
同位语从句:whether
whether可以引导同位语从句,而定语从句不能用whether作为引导词。
He hasn't made the decision whether he will go there. 他还没有做出决定是否去那里。
I have small doubt whether he is suitable9 for the job. 他是否适合这件工作我有点怀疑。
同位语从句:what
what可以引导同位语从句,而定语从句不能用what作为引导词
I have no idea what he is doing now. 我不知道他现在在干什么。
同位语从句:how
how可以引导同位语从句,而定语从句不能用how作为引导词
It's a question how he did it. 那是一个他如何做了此事的问题。
同位语从句:who等
who, whom, which, when, where, why用来引导同位语从句
The question who should do the work requires consideration. 谁该干这项工作,这个问题需要考虑。
She raised the question where we could get the fund10. 她提出这个问题:我们到哪儿去搞这笔资金。
四、同位语从句的语气
在suggestion, advice, request, order等意为“建议;命令;要求”的名词后,同位语从句中的谓语动词通常用“should +动词原形”的虚拟语气结构,句中的should可以省略。例如:
Our teacher gave us some advice how we (should) use the computer. 老师给我们提出了一些如何使用电脑的建议。
The suggestion came from the chairman that the new rule (should) be adopted. 采纳新规则的建议是主席提出来的。
The government gave the order that all these houses (should) be pulled down in three weeks. 政府下令三个星期内所有这些房子都要拆掉。
五、同位语从句与定语从句的用法区别
同位语从句和定语从句的区别(1)
同位语从句和先行词是同等的关系;而定语从句是用来修饰先行词,是从属的关系。
同位语从句和定语从句的区别(2)
that在同位语从句中没有词义,不充当句子成分;而在定语从句中充当主语、宾语等句子成分。
同位语从句和定语从句的区别(3)
whether, what, how可以用来引导同位语从句;而它们不能用来引导定语从句。
同位语从句和定语从句的区别(4)
一 从词义角度看问题
who, whom, which, when, where, why用来引导同位语从句是保持原来疑问词的含义;它们用来引导定语从句时,不具有疑问词的含义。
二 从搭配角度看问题
who, whom, which, when, where, why用来引导定语从句时对应性很强,如:
先行词是“人”,引导词用“who”等,而它们引导同位语从句是先行词通常是“question, idea, doubt等”。
六、典型例题
例1:I have no idea when he will be back.
析:he will be back意义不完整,应加"什么时候"的含义才能表达idea的全部内容,因此应用when引导同位语从句。
例2:I have no impression how he went home,perhaps by bike.
析:he went home意义不完整,应加"如何"的含义才能表达impression的全部内容,因此应用how引导同位语从句。
例3:Information has been put forward ____ more middle school graduates will be admitted into universities.(NMET2001上海)
A.while B.that C.when D.as
析:答案为B。more middle school graduates will be admitted into universities是Information的内容,且Information不在从句中作成分,所以该句为同位语从句。应将该句区别于:
It is said that more middle school graduates will be admitted into universities,this is the information ____ has been put forward.
A.what B.that C.when D.as
析:答案为B。that has been put forward为information的修饰性定语,且information在从句中作主语,所以该句为定语从句。
例4:She heard a terrible noise,____ brought her heart into her mouth.(MET91)
A.it B.which C.this D.that
析:答案为B。分析语境含义、句子结构和句子成分可知,该句为非限制性定语从句,先行词为a terrible noise,且它在从句中作主语。应将该句区别于:
I can't stand the terrible noise ____ she is crying loudly.
A.it B.which C.this D.that
析:答案为D。she is crying loudly是the terrible noise的内容,且the terrible noise不在从句中作成分,所以该句为同位语从句。